City Council

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2020 [HELD BY TELECONFERENCE DUE TO THE COVID-19 STATE OF EMERGENCY] 1. Mayor Taylor called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Taylor asked, without objection, that the rules be suspended to provide this Council meeting be held via video teleconference, in accordance with Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-75, and that participation of no less than four (4) Councilmembers on this conference call constitutes a quorum pursuant to the Michigan Open Meetings Act. He stated that additionally, the public hearing on tonight’s budget adoption will be provided via Zoom teleconference at (929) 206-6099. When prompted, residents should enter Meeting #441199775 and press #, noting a passcode is not required. Mayor Taylor additionally requested, as with prior Zoom teleconference meetings, that public comment germane to any other agenda item or city business to be provided via Zoom teleconference during communications from citizens toward the end of the meeting at the same telephone number. Mayor Taylor asked if there is any objection to proceeding in the manner he outlined. There were no objections from City Council members. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 2 2. Mayor Taylor recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag on behalf of City Council, and Melanie D. Ryska, City Clerk, gave the Invocation. 3. Council Members participating at roll call: Michael C. Taylor, Liz Sierawski, Deanna Koski, Michael V. Radtke, Jr., Maria G. Schmidt, Henry Yanez, Barbara A. Ziarko. Also Participating: Mark Vanderpool, City Manager; Marc D. Kaszubski, City Attorney; Melanie D. Ryska, City Clerk; Carol Sobosky, Recording Secretary. 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to approve the agenda as presented. Yes: Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. 5. REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER Mr. Vanderpool provided an update on the reopening of City Hall and many of the City’s facilities. Last week they had approximately 100 visitors at City Hall, and they expect that number will be increasing weekly. He highlighted some of the noteworthy metrics from when the city facilities were closed for a nearly three-month period of time, emphasizing that city business was not closed. Through the use of a PowerPoint presentation, he informed that over the three-month time the facilities were closed, they processed over 7,000 pieces of mail and almost 2,400 voter registration transactions. In Community Relations, they had a thirty percent increase in visits to their website, with 600 new subscribers to the City’s digital newsletter to bring that total to over 10,000 individuals. There was a thirty percent increase in Reach on their Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 3 Facebook posts, and nearly 1,000 new Facebook followers and 250 new Twitter followers. They processed 550 SeeClickFix inquiries, resolving roughly ninety percent of them within 48 hours of receiving them. He informed that Water Billing processed over 12,000 online water bill payments, Accounts Payable processed approximately 2,200 invoices, Assessing processed almost 1,000 new owner transfer deeds and handled almost 2,000 inquiries. Mr. Vanderpool stated that Treasury addressed approximately 650 title agency requests via email, and Parks and Recreation made over 4,000 telephone calls to check on senior residents. They established a Senior Assistance line, but also made those personal calls to make sure seniors could get what they needed. They had over 1,000 online registrations for various virtual programs through Parks and Recreation. They had a number of Requests for Proposals processed electronically, and contractors were able to submit various plans for construction projects electronically. The Building online permit activity increased by over twenty percent from last year, and they have a virtual inspection program, conducting over 15 virtual inspections. The Library had over 22,000 digital resources checked out over the three-month period, and 64 virtual programs were held involving over 33 participants. He commented that the silver lining in the dark clouds is that they were able to create new methods to conduct business and meet residents’ needs during the emergency. Mr. Vanderpool proudly announced that City Clerk Melanie Ryska has been named City Clerk of the Year by the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 4 He stressed this is a high honor, pointing out she was chosen over city clerks all over the State of Michigan. He stated Ms. Ryska has been a champion for Clerks throughout the State over the years, often mentoring new Clerks and encouraging association membership and education. She serves on the Association Board of Directors, is Chair of Education and Vice-President of the Macomb County Clerks Association. He informed that she was also the former president of the Wayne County Clerks Association. Mr. Vanderpool stressed that she has been an invaluable asset to their organization, a strong leader and has a great rapport with her colleagues, and he emphasized they are very fortunate to have Clerk Ryska here in Sterling Heights. He congratulated her on a job well done. Mr. Vanderpool invited Finance and Budget Director Jennifer Varney to talk about a program on the Consent Agenda. He explained the next two presentations illustrate all the City is doing to help residents who are suffering from individual financial struggles through this pandemic, and to help businesses restart and try to get back to some normalcy. Finance and Budget Director Jennifer Varney explained there is a Resolution before Council this evening to opt into the expansion of the Macomb County Keep Macomb Your Home program, which is designed to help low-income residents of Sterling Heights avoid foreclosure on their owner-occupied home. She explained this is a County-run program for residents who have had their property taxes turned over delinquent to Macomb County, with the goal to Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 5 prevent foreclosures on homes that are occupied by their owners and to keep people in their homes. She explained the four different tiers, and provided details and requirements on each, with Tier 1 being Pay As You Stay, for homeowners who have already applied for and received a hardship exemption through the City. She noted qualified applicants may be eligible for a reduction in taxes owed and would have up to three years to pay off their balance interest-free. Tier 2 is a Tax Foreclosure Avoidance Agreement, available to taxpayers with an income at or below federal poverty standards but do not have a hardship exemption through the City. She noted qualified applicants can receive a reduced interest rate of six percent annually with up to three years to pay, noting the regular rate is eighteen percent. Tier 3 is a Delinquent Property Tax Installment Plan, available to taxpayers with income levels at or below two times the poverty level, providing them a reduced interest rate of twelve percent per year, but must be paid in full by December 31 of the foreclosure judgment year. Tier 4 is available to taxpayers with an income level at or below three times the poverty level or another demonstrated hardship, offering an extension to pay at the normal interest rate of eighteen percent. Ms. Varney concluded her presentation by stating that in order for Sterling Heights residents to participate in this program, the City Council must adopt the Resolution to opt in, and that Resolution is on the Consent Agenda this evening. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 6 Mr. Vanderpool explained how the City is helping their businesses get through this painful period of time, and he invited City Planner Chris McLeod to provide an update. City Planner Chris McLeod announced their new program entitled Sterling Heights Inside Out, which allows businesses this upcoming year to turn their businesses from the inside of their facilities to the outside to make sure they are compliant with all social distancing guidelines and Executive Orders that the Governor has in place. He explained the idea is to relax their review process for business owners by expediting approvals and reducing business application fee to $0 until the end of the fall, with the option to extend through the year if the business is compliant with all of the requirements of the program. The City will be doing a full press release, radio interviews, social media blasts and announcements of this new program through all media platforms. He hoped people will be using the #sterlingheightsinsideout while using their outdoor services. A webpage for this has been developed for this, and Media Relations and SHTV will be out to get short snippets of video and photos to help promote the program. They have contacts in their current database and will be working with the Chaldean Chamber and the Sterling Heights Chamber to make sure they get the word out to everyone. The special application is taken in by the Planning Department, and they have committed themselves to a three-day turnaround period. Most of these applications are anticipated to be straightforward and will be reviewed by the Planning, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 7 Building, and Fire Departments. He encouraged applications to be submitted digitally to make things as easy as possible. He outlined a checklist they have created to walk business owners through the process in an easy way, and it includes a list of things they want to make sure have been done. They can include sketches or photos of what they are trying to do on their sidewalk or in their parking lot so they do not have to spend a lot of money on drawings, and the City can help them through the rest of the process. The benefit of this is that it does not have to be limited to a sidewalk event, but as long as the parking is correct for the site, or within reason, some of these events can use portions of the parking lots. They are trying to provide as much flexibility and uniqueness as possible and are very excited for this. He thanked City Council for their time and offered to answer questions. Mr. Vanderpool thanked Mr. McLeod and the team who has put a lot of work into this, including the City Attorney’s office, Building Official Mike Viazanko, the Community Relations team, and others. He noted this has been under review and design for at least the last couple of months, but he pointed out it is another example of the innovativeness that is coming out of the organization. He stated that, while they focused on restaurants and outdoor eateries, this concept can be used for outdoor retail sales and other commercial uses that could extend their activity outside. Mr. Vanderpool devoted this portion of his report to the very difficult issue being experienced nationwide, as evidenced by the protesting and in response Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 8 to the racial injustices that are unfortunately being experienced in the United States. He added that Sterling Heights is not immune from the challenge at hand, and he outlined some of the actions being taken in the City to foster inclusiveness and diversity centered around their visioning statement. He provided a PowerPoint presentation, and he read the Visioning 2030 statement, emphasizing the word “inclusiveness”. He provided data that he acknowledged is a couple of years old, but noted that 25 percent of their population, or 32,000 residents, are foreign-born, which is a significant number, and progress has been made over the last twenty years in the spirit of inclusiveness. He anticipated the 2020 Census will reflect that number will be higher. He noted that the City of Sterling Heights was one of the first cities in southeastern Michigan to join the Welcoming Cities movement, and Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Clinton Township, and other communities joined later, with the idea of fostering diversity and inclusiveness. Mayor Taylor indicated the PowerPoint presentation slides were not cycling, so while that was being addressed, Mr. Vanderpool invited Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski to provide an update on diversity efforts they are making at the Police Department. Police Chief Dwojakowski explained this is a very difficult time in law enforcement across the United States, and he felt it is appropriate to talk about what they have been doing in the Police Department to make sure they are a diverse workforce and that they have an outreach program. With the aid of a Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 9 PowerPoint presentation, he provided a brief history on the topic and explained he met with multiple community leaders over the last week who were asking about the diversity within their Police Department and whether they are recruiting minorities. The Chief assured they have done a lot of work in that area, emphasizing it is important because communities are stronger when foreign-born populations feel represented, it legitimizes the police department, and diverse law enforcement candidates bring a different narrative and background. Chief Dwojakowski noted in 1970, the City’s population was 95.5 percent White with 61,000 residents. In 2010, from the last census, the City’s population was 83.8 percent White, with 129,000 residents. He anticipated the 2020 census will reflect an even more diverse population. He referenced the rioting that took place in 1967 in Detroit and in 2014 in Ferguson, noting there was a multitude of reasons, with a large part being the feeling of over-policing and policing by members of the public that do not live there or represent their race. The Detroit Police force in 1967 was comprised of 93 percent white officers policing a 30 percent black population and in Ferguson in 2014, it was a police department comprised of 94 percent white officers policing a 70 percent black population. He stated the same topics are being discussed presently, including equality, racial justice and people wanting to be heard, and he talked about the recent protests and marches, one held on M-59 in Sterling Heights, where they estimated over 4,000 people participated in a peaceful march without a single arrest or police incident, and another Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 10 peaceful protest march held from Sterling Heights High School, with a lot of students and young people from Sterling Heights joining in that march. Chief Dwojakowski showed a slide with a breakdown in the diversity of the Police Department’s 152 sworn officers, noting a lot of diversity has been added to their force in the last five years, and they are continuing to move forward every year to be as diverse as possible. Chief Dwojakowski stated their program, MI Bright FUTURE, offers a mentor program with high school students, they offer career fairs at their three local high schools, and they have recruitment officers who travel all over the State of Michigan to Police academies in an effort to recruit diverse candidates. They continue to recruit by holding recruitment nights, even including the FBI and Michigan State Police in case there is anyone in the community thinking about a federal law enforcement job. They recruit during their SMART Moves program by being role models. They hold quarterly Clergy forums to keep open communication with their diverse houses of worship. He noted that Channel 4 locally featured Sterling Heights and some of the diversity outreach efforts taking place. He sits on the Advisory Board for two police academies, and he explained that Macomb Community College is going to add a third, or nighttime, police academy, which may bring in more diverse candidates who work other full-time day jobs while they are pursuing their police training. He stressed the CEO of the Police Department, which is the position in which he Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 11 serves in Sterling Heights, has to believe in the mission and put resources behind it. Chief Dwojakowski explained they are going through their accreditation process and are making significant strides, with hundreds of policies and procedures to review, and it is an excellent time for that to take place with the national narrative about changing some law enforcement procedures, such as banning chokeholds, reporting officers who do bad things, and others. The City’s CORE Officers are in the neighborhoods every day solving problems. He announced that they have Implicit Bias and De-escalation Training set up for all 152 members of the Sterling Heights Police force and will be running the program in July and August. He stated he is a member of Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust (ALPACT), comprised of a group of police and community activists who meet on a monthly basis to talk about what is right and wrong in policing. They had 100 people on the line during their last call meeting on Friday. He stated recently Sterling Heights appointed two department members as LGBTQ liaisons. They currently have cameras in every car and microphones on every officer, but they are reviewing the incorporation of body cameras. They have talked about it for years, but he felt this is the time when transparency is being demanded. They are trying to work out the logistics and get the cost down, and he hoped they will have that program in the coming months. Chief Dwojakowski stated the Citizen’s Police Academy is another great outreach program. He also mentioned the Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 12 Innovative Drug Rehab program, the Sterling Heights Drug-Free Coalition, and Hope Not Handcuffs program, which have all been very successful. He added he is proud of all of the officers who participated in the Quick Response program. Chief Dwojakowski concluded his presentation by stating that he sat on the 2030 Visioning Committee, and he stressed there is meaning in every single word of their mission statement, especially “inclusivity”. Mr. Vanderpool continued with his presentation, noting they are sowing seeds all the time for greater diversity and inclusiveness throughout the City. He stated the City welcomes all at their Velocity Center to share with residents and all individuals of diverse backgrounds all the City programming they have in the spirit of diversity. He noted they hold the naturalization ceremony each year at SterlingFest. Thousands of residents attend their Cultural Diversity program celebrating so many different nationalities and cultures. They hold a diversity awards dinner, which showcases the wonderful diversity they celebrate in Sterling Heights. He reviewed city demographics based on the 2010 census, noting the minority population is fairly low but it is rapidly growing. They anticipate the black population in Sterling Heights in the next census will be at least ten percent. He talked about the progress being made and the question as to whether it is enough. He felt if they are talking about religious and ethnic diversity, he stated the answer is yes and was confident they are doing a very good job in that area. As far as racial diversity and inclusiveness, he felt the answer is that they can do better, although they are Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 13 making progress. He addressed measures they are taking to do better, and announced the creation of the Sterling Heights African-American Coalition, with the purpose to create a forum to connect with the City’s 10,000-plus black residents, and discuss challenges and opportunities centered on racial equity. He felt they cannot deny there is a problem in the country and that the 10,000- plus black residents in Sterling Heights are affected by this situation. He indicated the roll of a community or proactive city doing all it can in the spirit of inclusiveness and diversity is to address the challenges head-on and to build bridges, partnerships and collaborate. The stakeholders of the Coalition are the City’s African-American residents, along with leaders from education, the health industry, business, and clergy. This would also include regional representatives from Black Lives Matter, the Macomb Ministerial Alliance, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Macomb County Interfaith Center for Racial Justice, and others. He explained this is not the first time the City has created such an organization, noting it has been done in many cases, including the Community Foundation, the Macomb Area Communities for Regional Opportunities (MACRO), the Sterling Heights Drug Coalition, the Clergy Forum, and Innovate Mound. The City is excited about this new Coalition, and they already have about twelve black residents that have agreed to serve on this coalition, with many others who have expressed interest, and he anticipated the Coalition would grow to twenty-plus members. He hoped to meet in the next thirty days, then hold monthly meetings initially, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 14 eventually scaling back to quarterly meetings. He stated this effort is centered on their Vision Statement. Mr. Vanderpool stated there are two important proclamations the City is approving, the first being Juneteenth, an independence day recognized throughout much of the country on which slavery came to an end in the United States, and he provided history on this recognized date of June 19, as Juneteenth Independence Day, a day for celebration, inspiration, encouragement and remembrance. Mr. Vanderpool stated the second proclamation is consistent with the City’s Visioning 2030 mission statement. June has become the symbolic month around the world for LGBTQ Plus people and friends to come together in various celebrations of acceptance of equity and pride. Mr. Vanderpool concluded his report by thanking the Mayor and City Council for leading the way in making inclusivity a guiding light for all they do in the City of Sterling Heights. Mayor Taylor thanked Mr. Vanderpool for all of his hard work in preparing his presentation. He also thanked Chief Dwojakowski and everyone else who helped create it. He added he is proud of the proclamations and the Coalition that is being formed. 6. ORDINANCE INTRODUCTIONS A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to introduce the final amendment to the Appropriations Ordinance for the 2019/20 fiscal year. He invited Finance & Budget Director Jennifer Varney to give a presentation. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 15 Finance & Budget Director Jennifer Varney stated the City Charter requires that a formal public hearing be held on the budget before its adoption. With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, she provided a brief overview of the budget highlights. The budget was submitted to City Council on May 18, 2020, and since May 29, 2020, the budget has been available for public inspection on the City’s website, at the City Clerk’s office since their opening on June 10, and by appointment previous to that date. The Appropriations Ordinance was introduced at the June 2 City Council meeting. She explained the proposed City budget totals $213.9 million, and she showed the breakdown between the major funds. The total budget decreased $55.5 million, or 20.6 percent over the prior year, adding that there is decreased spending in nearly every fund. The General Fund budget increased $2.6 million, or 2.5 percent, over last year, and she provided a breakdown of the increases. Due to expected reductions in revenue, primarily in state revenue sharing, permit fees, court fines and interest income, the General Fund budget was reduced by an additional $2.2 million, and there is no increase in full-time head count in the proposed budget. She explained one amendment was proposed and approved in the budget introduction which included the addition of $25,000 to fund return postage on absentee ballots for the November 2020 Presidential Election. General Fund revenues are lower than proposed expenses by $2.6 million, and a use of Fund Balance is proposed. She explained they are expecting to add $1.2 million to General Fund Balance in the current fiscal year, bringing their percentage of Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 16 expenditures to 25.7 percent. The proposed use of Fund Balance will reduce their percentage to 23.6, which is still a very healthy amount and will give them time to evaluate the constantly changing economic position and bring any necessary amendments to City Council in December. She indicated the City tax rate will remain the same at 16.2069 mills, and she reminded it is one of the lowest in the county, and 6.3 mills lower than the county average. She stated taxable values are capped by inflation and will increase only 1.9 percent. The average city tax bill will be only $104 per month for all city services, which is only a $2 per month increase over last year. She reminded that a detailed budget video including presentations from every City director is available for viewing on the website, along with the complete budget document. She stated the Appropriations Ordinance is the vehicle that allows for the expenditure of City funds throughout the city and reflects the City Council’s plans for expenditures and revenues and sets the total property tax millage rate at 16.2069 to fund those expenditures. She informed that the Appropriations Ordinance was introduced at the June 2, 2020 City Council meeting, and this includes the one change to add $25,000 to fund the return postage on absentee ballots for the November 2020 Presidential Election, which has been included in the Final Appropriations Ordinance, and is ready to be adopted. Mayor Taylor opened the public hearing and announced that public comments are being received on this item. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 17 There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Taylor closed the public hearing. Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Radtke, RESOLVED, to introduce the final amendment to the Appropriations Ordinance for the 2019/20 fiscal year. Mayor Taylor stated that is the wrong motion for this item, and the agenda had been updated this afternoon to correct an error from the original agenda. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski withdrew her previous motion. Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Taylor, BE IT ORDAINED, to adopt the Annual Appropriations Ordinance, as amended, for the 2020/21 fiscal year with the following property tax millage rates: 9.3106 mills for Operations, 0.9639 mills for Refuse Collection, 2.4441 mills for Police & Fire Pension, 2.4343 mills for Safe Streets, 0.9443 mills for Recreating Recreation and 0.1097 mills for Public Improvements (Proposal F) for a total property tax levy of 16.2069 mills. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski felt the budget was discussed at length, and she agreed with the amendment, so she is happy with the budget as presented this evening. Councilwoman Schmidt stated she has given a lot of thought over the past two weeks about this budget. She felt with the Covid-19 pandemic and the social issues dividing the country, it is important to her that all elected officials come together and unite for the good of the people and the communities they were elected to represent. The adoption of the annual City budget is one of the most important decisions this Council makes. At the introduction of the budget, she voiced her strong opposition to the budget amendment that reduced the General Fund Balance by $25,000 to pay for return postage on absentee ballots. She stressed that her total opposition to that amendment Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 18 has nothing to do with her total confidence in their voting process, and she was pleased that her suggestion to add drop boxes at the fire stations was acted upon, giving more free opportunities for residents to cast their ballots without concern of standing in line at the polls. She did not believe that residents in the past have failed to vote because of the burden of paying return postage on an envelope, and that has been proven by the outstanding rate of return ballots without the amendment. She stressed her opposition is based on priorities, and she felt the $25,000 can and should be reserved until they more fully understand the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on city finances. She felt it is imperative to support a proposed budget which on the whole is very good and deserves her support, even though she is still opposed to the amendment. She stated she will be voting to adopt the budget with the belief that it merits the support of the entire City Council. Councilwoman Ziarko gave a lot of credit to the Finance and Budget Department for putting this budget together. She agreed with Councilwoman Schmidt that it would not be appropriate to reject the entire budget based on one line item which she questions its necessity, so she will be voting in favor of the budget. Councilman Radtke commented that budgets are an assembly of priorities for the City, and Council members do not have to agree with every item in the budget in order to support the budget as a whole. He mentioned items in past budgets that he personally felt were crazy to spend money on and he voted Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 19 against them, yet he still voted in favor of all the budgets and amendments going forward because he has to support the City and make sure they pay their debts. He was pleased they will be paying the postage and anticipated it will be a tremendous success and possibly something they will look at next year. Councilwoman Koski commented that the budget is their best guess as to the expenses of the City for the next twelve months. She reminded the budget is not etched in stone and adjustments can be made as needed because they cannot predict what will happen in the next twelve months. Mayor Taylor reiterated what he said last week that this was quite an effort from dozens of people under the leadership of Finance and Budget Director Jennifer Varney, and he thanked her for her leadership. He thanked everyone involved in creating the videos from the different departments, and he believed the residents of Sterling Heights are well-served by the team they have. Yes: Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. 7. ORDINANCE ADOPTIONS A. Mayor Taylor stated this is the introduction to the final amendment to the Appropriations Ordinance for the 2019/20 fiscal year. He invited Finance & Budget Director Jennifer Varney to give a presentation. Ms. Varney stated she is presenting the Final Amendment to the 2019/2020 budget, which is a final amendment to the Appropriations Ordinance to estimate how they expect to finish the fiscal year, which ends in a few weeks. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 20 Through the assistance of a PowerPoint presentation, she explained the General Fund Revenues are expected to come in at about $3 million, or 2.8 percent higher than originally budgeted. Revenue variances are seen in five different areas, as shown on the chart. They saw a decrease in license and permit fees of approximately $295,000 due to the Covid-19 shutdown. They expect to see an increase in grant revenue of about $870,000 and are conservatively expecting reimbursement of about 75 percent of their Covid- related expenses, either from FEMA or from Macomb County through the CARES funding. They have higher receipts coming in from the SAFER grant due to receipts coming in this year that were expected last year. Revenue from fines and forfeitures was down about $815,000, directly related to the shutdown at the Court. She noted that state revenue sharing is only down about $80,000 this year due to loss of sales tax revenue from the shutdown, but they anticipate seeing a significant revenue-sharing drop next year, and that was included in the adopted budget. They receive personal property tax reimbursement each year that is extra but is not included in the operating budget because it is a one-time funding that is not guaranteed. They received $3.4 million this year, but $625,000 of that is directly related to Police and Fire Pension Fund tax, so that has to be used for that purpose. They used that $625,000 this year to offset the pension tax for the 2020/21 fiscal year, which reduced the millage for residents. She advised this is the last year they will receive their personal property tax reimbursement under the old formula, and Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 21 in 2021, there is a new formula that is being phased in. The State has not provided any estimates to date as to how much that will be because it is based on their proportionate share of personal property acquisition costs, so it is hard to predict. Ms. Varney stated the General Fund Expenditures came in about 2.4 percent higher than budgeted, with the majority of that due to the timing of Recreating Recreation projects, which are nearing completion. There is a timing issue and they used their extra personal property to fund the end of these projects, but over time, the Recreating Recreation millage will earn enough money to transfer that money back to the General Fund. She reviewed the other main expenditure variances including actual debt payment for the DPW building, which came in at $400,000 less than estimated in the budget. Expenses due to the Covid emergency totaled just under $630,000, and they have conservatively estimated that they will receive reimbursement for at least 75 percent of those expenditures. Fire Department expenditures other than Covid were up about $140,000, mainly due to grant-funded fitness equipment and physicals. Police Department expenditures were down $340,000 due to lower salaries and overtime. Administration costs were up $370,000, primarily due to the Facilities Maintenance Director approved by Council in December, and the emergency repair to the elevator pump at the Court, Library and City Hall. The Public Works Department was down $210,000 due to lower part-time and overtime wages in services. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 22 Ms. Varney explained the City incurred many unexpected expenses due to the Covid-19 crisis, totaling just under $620,000 through June 30, including facility upgrades for barriers, plexiglass, and home technology, as well as disinfecting all City buildings and park amenities on a regular basis. They also purchased PPE, including gloves, masks, face shields, hand sanitizers, disinfectant sprays, wipes, thermometers, and other items to keep first responders, residents, and employees safe. She anticipated many of these expenses will be reimbursed. She clarified this only includes their costs and not the revenue losses they previously discussed. There is no mechanism at this time to reimburse the revenue losses. Ms. Varney stated for the current fiscal year, they are budgeted to add about $1.25 million to Fund Balance, which is about $400,000 more than the original budget. She informed this will bring their General Fund balance percentage to just under 26 percent, further cushioning the expected use of Fund Balance proposed within the 2020/21 budget. The budget for Other City Funds increased by $4.6 million and she outlined the details for that increase. She stated this is the first reading of this Ordinance, scheduled for adoption at the first meeting in July. Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to introduce the final amendment to the Appropriations Ordinance for the 2019/20 fiscal year. Yes: Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. 8. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Taylor stated this item is consideration of the Consent Agenda. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 23 Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented: A. To approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 2, 2020. B. To approve payment of the bills as presented: General Fund - $557,508.38, Water & Sewer Fund - $2,938,984.90, Other Funds - $3,556,029.08, Total Checks - $7,052,522.36. C. RESOLVED, to purchase library books through the Suburban Library Cooperative, 44750 Delco Blvd., Sterling Heights, MI 48313, for fiscal year 2020/2021 in the amount of $95,000. D. RESOLVED, to award the bid for self-contained breathing apparatus and air cylinders to West-Shore Fire, Inc., 6620 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale, MI 49401-0188, at unit prices bid for a two-year period. E. RESOLVED, to: A. Split the award of the bid for water service parts to the vendors and by part category specified below for a one-year period, at unit prices bid: To: ETNA Supply Co., 4901 Clay, Grand Rapids, MI 49548 Stop Boxes To: Ferguson Waterworks, 24425 Schoenherr Rd., Warren, MI 48089 Repair Clamps – C1 Repair Clamps – AC Service Saddles Curbs – No Lead Corps – No Lead Other: All (Unions, Reducers, couplings, flanges, sampling stations) B. To reject all bids for soft copper. F. RESOLVED, to award a bid for Saal Road Resurfacing, Clinton River Road to 19 Mile Road, City Project #20-364, to Pro-Line Asphalt Paving Corp., 11797 29 Mile Road, Washington, MI 48095, in the amount of $1,949,446.01 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign the contract on behalf of the City. G. RESOLVED, to split the award of the bid for pavement striping to the vendors and by category specified below for a three-year period at unit prices bid: To: P.K. Contracting, Inc., 1965 Barrett Dr., Troy, MI 48084 A. Polyurea D. Spray Thermal Bid Alternates To: JV Contracting, Inc., 7285 S. State Rd., Goodrich, MI 48438 C. Waterborne D. Cold Plastic Bid Alternates Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 24 H. RESOLVED, to purchase eBooks and eAudiobooks through the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services OverDrive Group, One OverDrive Way, Cleveland, OH 44125, for fiscal year 2019/2020 in the amount of $41,753. I. RESOLVED, to approve the contract for services between the City of Sterling Heights and CompOne Administrators, Inc. for workers compensation claims administration and loss control services for a three-year period, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign all documents required in conjunction with this approval, upon review and approval by the City Attorney. J. RESOLVED, to approve the purchase of excess workers compensation insurance from Midwest Employers Casualty Company through CompOne Administrators, Inc. / FDI Risk Managers, Inc. for a two-year period at an estimated annual cost of $80,824, and authorize the City Manager to sign all documents required in conjunction with this approval. K. RESOLVED, to approve contract no. 20-5206 between the Michigan Department of Transportation and the City of Sterling Heights for the 19 Mile Road Reconstruction Project, Clinton River Road to Schoenherr Road Project, City Project #20-366, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign the contract on behalf of the City. L. RESOLVED, to approve final payment to Pro-Line Asphalt Corporation, 11797 29 Mile Road, Washington, MI 48095, in the amount of $173,017.30, plus interest on retainage, for 17 Mile Road Resurfacing, Plumbrook Drain to Utica Road, City Project #18-316, and Stadler Road Resurfacing, Saal Road to Hayes Road, City Project #18-309. M. RESOLVED, to adopt a resolution in support of the application by the City of Sterling Heights for fiscal year 2023 Local Bridge Program Funding for superstructure replacement on the 17 Mile Road Bridge over the Plumbrook Drain. N. RESOLVED, that the City of Sterling Heights agrees to participate in the Keep Macomb Your Home and Pay as you Stay Programs pursuant to MCL 211.78 et. seq. and directs the City Treasurer to forward a copy of this resolution to the Macomb County Treasurer. O. RESOLVED, to set a public hearing on Tuesday, July 7th, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. regarding the application by Olympia Construction, Inc. for a Planned Unit Development on approximately 3.5 acres situated on the east side of Maple Lane, north of 14 Mile Road, PPUD20-0002. Yes: Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. 9. CONSIDERATION Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 25 A. Mayor Taylor stated this item is to consider adoption of a resolution to place an amendment to Sections 5.01 and 3.13 of the City Charter on the ballot for the November 2, 2020 general election. Moved by Yanez, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to adopt a resolution to place an amendment to Sections 5.01 and 3.13 of the City Charter on the ballot for the November 3, 2020 general election. Councilman Yanez commented that these are both well-thought-out plans to not only secure ballot signatures in a more amenable way, and he added what they have now is daunting, especially not knowing what the future holds with the pandemic. He felt that the requirement of 400 signatures brings them into line with a lot of other municipalities, and he preferred to have a static number. With regard to four-year terms, he felt stability is important and will keep the City moving forward, noting that two-year terms attack stability at its core. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski echoed Councilman Yanez’s sentiments. She agreed it is daunting to get the number of signatures they are required at this time, and with two-year terms, they have to immediately start preparing for the next election, which does not allow them to do the city work they need to do. She felt four-year terms will allow them more time to focus on the City, and those who are not incumbents will be much more prepared to have a chance to get their names on the ballot. With the inability to go door-to-door for signatures, it is very difficult to obtain the signatures, so she was pleased to see the proposed reduction in the required number of signatures on the petitions. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 26 Councilwoman Ziarko felt they need to make some changes in the number of signatures. She initially preferred a percentage of signatures rather than a set amount because it would stay consistent with what is in the Charter. She thought 0.5 percent would have been a good requirement, but there is only a difference of 30 to 35 signatures between the flat rate and the percentage. She felt it is a little disappointing to follow state guidelines because for a city of this size, other smaller cities require 600 signatures. She will vote in favor of putting it on the ballot as presented, but it will be up to the residents. She stated she is still planning on having to get 1,000 signatures because she does not know whether this will actually be approved. Councilman Radtke felt that these two proposals are out of order. He suggested they should be in reverse order on the ballot, with the number of signatures first and the four-year terms second. He pointed out the idea of this was to make it easier to run for office and then to extend their ability to serve the residents and focus on the city without having to constantly be concerned with running for office. He stated he was a strong advocate for how Council members are appointed to vacated seats. If the terms change to four years, theoretically a person could leave shortly after being elected into office, and someone could be appointed to fill that vacated position for nearly four years without going through an election. He did not feel that is fair to the residents, and he stated he would like to offer an amendment to require an election to fill a seat that will be vacated for a length of time, but he felt it would fail. He Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 27 stated he supports the first two proposals but felt without that third item of imposing a requirement that a person cannot serve three-plus years without being elected into office, it may be undemocratic. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned Mr. Kaszubski as to whether Council has the option of going to a special election if there is a vacancy created. Mr. Kaszubski replied the Charter provides Council the option to appoint someone, but if they fail to appoint within the sixty-day window as allowed, then a special election will be called to fill the vacant seat. Councilwoman Schmidt agreed with Councilman Yanez on his comments about the four-year terms versus the current two-year terms as far as consistency. She has had residents question her as they signed her petition, saying “they had just signed it”, and she explains to them that they serve two- year terms. She commented that the learning curve for a new Council member is about a year before they feel comfortable, which is another reason to go to four-year terms. She felt the four-year terms will be beneficial for everyone. She liked the idea of a signature requirement of 0.5 percent rather than a fixed number because the number of voters is not a static number and changes; however, she is satisfied with 400 signatures, and added she is comfortable with both amendments to the Charter being put on the ballot. Councilwoman Koski questioned Mr. Vanderpool as to what would happen if there is a second outbreak of Covid-19, and whether he has the ability to change the signature requirement in an emergency situation. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 28 Mr. Vanderpool explained that if they experience an extension of this pandemic or they have another pandemic, they would likely be in a declared local emergency and/or a declared county-wide or even state-wide emergency. When they declare a local emergency and it is in effect, a Local Emergency declaration provides the City numerous authorities outside the scope of the Charter. He cited the example of having to expend money that is not budgeted or is above the limit of $10,000 that would normally require Council’s approval, but they may not have time to get that approval. That is the point of a Local Emergency declaration to provide unorthodox or unusual authorities and powers that would not normally exist. He assured there are checks and balances with that as well. In this case, Administration could issue an Executive Order that would decrease the number of signatures required on a petition, which would mean the Charter requirement would be suspended. He pointed out they did that with the budget this year because the Charter requires that the budget be submitted by a specific date. It was not possible to do that this year because of the pandemic, so through an Executive Order, the City had to suspend that Charter requirement and develop new dates for the budget submittal. If they are in such a pandemic and are in that situation of candidates not being able to get signatures, that could be reduced by Executive Order to whatever number they determine through collaboration. The Executive Orders done to date have been done in a very transparent collaborative way. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 29 Mayor Taylor stated he previously spoke at length about these amendments and gave his reasons as to why he is in favor of this. He commented it appears as though this will be on the ballot, and he hoped to get information out to voters. Councilman Radtke questioned Mr. Kaszubski as to how likely the City would be challenged in court if they lowered the number of signatures based on an Executive Order, and how likely they would be able to win that challenge in court. Mr. Kaszubski replied that the idea of making it easier to get on the ballot would be very difficult for someone to challenge in court. If the threshold allows more people the opportunity to get on the ballot, he could not see anyone who would have a stand to object. He noted it would not be unprecedented, as there is a recent court case where potential candidates were unable to get signatures, and the court ruled that was not appropriate, and issued an order lowering the signature requirement. In those cases where it makes it easier for someone to get on a ballot, it becomes harder to challenge. Yes: Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko, Koski. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. B. Mayor Taylor stated this item is to consider nominations to City of Sterling Heights Boards and Commissions. Nominations to Board of Appeals Mayor Taylor asked if anyone would like to make a nomination to the Board of Appeals. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 30 Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to nominate Dennis Hansinger for consideration as an appointee to the Zoning Board of Appeals at the July 7, 2020 regular City Council meeting. Councilwoman Ziarko explained that she has not talked recently with Mr. Hansinger but during the Stay-At-Home order, she went through a lot of materials from the City and noticed applications they had for the last opening on City Council. In her notes, she had written “great candidate for a commission”. She noted that he had listed Board of Appeals as his second choice, so she felt this would be a great opportunity for him to serve. Councilman Radtke stated he will not object to Mr. Hansinger as a person, but he pointed out that the Zoning Board of Appeals is comprised of all men and all white. He is confused how they cannot find one female or one minority candidate in all of their applications for this Board. He stated he will be voting against this because it is not a diversity candidate. He reiterated he has nothing against Mr. Hansinger personally but does not want to see an all-male, all-white Board and would like to see that changed. Yes: Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko, Koski. No: Radtke. Absent: None. The motion carried. C. Mayor Taylor stated this item is to consider appointments to City of Sterling Heights Boards and Commissions. Appointments to Planning Commission Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint Lori Doughty, Nathan Inks, and Edward Kopp to the Planning Commission to terms ending June 30, 2023, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 31 Yes: Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. Appointments to Board of Code Appeals Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint Thomas Szatkowski to the Board of Code Appeals to a term ending June 30, 2025, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. Appointments to Board of Ordinance Appeals I Moved by Radtke, seconded by Taylor, RESOLVED, to appoint Michael Stickney to the Board of Ordinance Appeals I to a term ending June 30, 2022, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. Appointments to Board of Ordinance Appeals II Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to appoint Roman Stojalowski to the Board of Ordinance Appeals II to a term ending June 30, 2023, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. Moved by Radtke, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to appoint Steve Ujkic to the Board of Ordinance Appeals II to a partial term ending June 30, 2021, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to appoint Ben Ancona to the Board of Ordinance Appeals II to a partial term ending June 30, 2022, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 32 subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko, Koski. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. Appointments to Board of Review Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to appoint John Fenn and Raymond Nadolski to the Board of Review to terms ending June 30, 2023, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Radtke. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. Appointments to Pension Board – Police and Fire Moved by Yanez, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to appoint John Lamerato to the Pension Board – Police and Fire to a term ending June 30, 2022, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. Appointments to Zoning Board of Appeals Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, it being in the best interest of the City, to appoint Devin Koski to the Zoning Board of Appeals to a term ending June 30, 2023, subject to the appointees meeting the qualifications set forth in Charter §4.03 and taking the oath of office within two weeks. Yes: Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Schmidt, Sierawski. No: Radtke. Absent: None. The motion carried. Appointment to Corridor Improvement Authority Mayor Taylor explained that he has two appointments, one to the Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA) and one to the Corridor Improvement Authority. He stated they will have to pass on the LDFA appointment because Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 33 it is not his appointment based on the structure of that Board. There are other jurisdictions, one of them being Warren Consolidated Schools, that has an appointment, and this opening needs to be appointed by the Warren Consolidated School District. He stated he has an appointee for LDFA and he would like to have the opportunity to talk with her to see if she would like to serve on the Corridor Improvement Authority instead. Mayor Taylor stated he would like to pass on an appointment to the Corridor Improvement Authority at this point, with the idea that they will postpone it at the end of this agenda item. Appointment to Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA) Mayor Taylor asked Mr. Kaszubski as to whether they should postpone this one as well, pass on it or take no action. Councilman Radtke questioned whether they can table it. Mr. Kaszubski replied this was probably improperly put on the agenda. Taking no action would allow Warren Consolidated Schools to make their appointment. If it is tabled, that would also end this motion, which would also be appropriate. Moved by Radtke, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to table the appointment to the Local Development Finance Authority. Yes: Yanez, Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. Appointments to Beautification Commission Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 34 There were no appointments to the Beautification Commission, so Mayor Taylor indicated they will pass on this for now. Appointment to Solid Waste Management Commission There were no appointments to the Solid Waste Management Commission, so Mayor Taylor indicated they will pass. Appointments to Youth Advisory Board Mayor Taylor indicated there are multiple openings on this Board. There were no appointments to the Youth Advisory Board, so Mayor Taylor indicated they will pass. Postpone Appointments Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Radtke, RESOLVED, to postpone the appointments to the Corridor Improvement Authority, Beautification Commission, Solid Waste Management Commission and Youth Advisory Board to the July 21, 2020 regular City Council meeting. Yes: Ziarko, Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez. No: None. Absent: None. The motion carried. 10. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS Mayor Taylor stated that the communications from citizens will be entirely via telephone conference. He explained how the comments will be taken from those on the phone who wish to participate, indicating they will be recognized in turn and that person will be asked if they want to participate and they will have four minutes in which to speak. • Mr. Charles Jefferson – requested removal of a Planning Commissioner based on a past social media posting. 11. REPORTS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL Mr. Vanderpool stated he had nothing further this evening. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 35 Councilwoman Ziarko stated she is looking forward to seeing everyone in person at their next City Council meeting in July, but she felt very comfortable meeting in this teleconference forum so they could involve their residents and the community, providing updates to them. She appreciated all that Administration has done and is pleased knowing the money they saved in the past was there to help them get through this crisis. She urged everyone to be respectful of the guidelines that each business puts in place for their re- openings, noting it is for the safety of all. Councilman Radtke was pleased with a ruling by the Supreme Court this week regarding the discrimination of someone based on who they love. He is pleased that Sterling Heights has always been ahead of the curve in that area, and that they do not discriminate. He stated he was proud to march on Hall Road this past week with peaceful protesters standing up to fight against racism and police brutality and to emphasize that Black Lives Matter. He mentioned the body cameras mentioned in Mr. Vanderpool’s report earlier this evening, and added he hopes they can also reinstate the Diversity Coordinator position that was previously budgeted but had to be cut this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He felt they need diversity throughout the organization, as well as body cameras for the police officers. He commented it was wonderful how they were able to work together over Zoom meetings, and added he was appreciative that they received updates twice a week from Administration. He is proud of what the City has done to get through this. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 36 Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski congratulated Ms. Ryska for being the number one Clerk in the State of Michigan, adding that she is very deserving of it for all the good she does for the City and its citizens. She stated she is extremely impressed that Parks and Recreation has made over 4,000 calls to check on seniors during the pandemic, noting that she and her staff made calls to their patients to make sure they had what they needed. She stressed those calls are extremely important so they can get them what they need and possibly keep them out of the hospital. She applauded the City for looking at diversity, analyzing what they need, and putting forth the African-American Coalition. She felt it is an important start and relayed some of her history that her grandmother was a daughter of a freed slave but had never told anyone other than her husband and children and had to live in hiding. She stressed no one should have to do that, and she is proud that the City is emphasizing diversity and inclusion. She felt they are in the right direction but is pleased they are moving forward. Councilwoman Schmidt congratulated Ms. Ryska on doing a phenomenal job and commended her entire department for being pleasant to work with and extremely organized, all signs of a good leader. She is proud and grateful that the protests taking place in the City have been very peaceful. She thanked the Police Department for embracing the protests and protesters and fostering relationships with that situation has helped the community as a whole. She Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 37 spoke highly of the outreach work they do, acknowledging that the City needs to do more. She looks forward to the future. Councilwoman Koski congratulated Ms. Ryska for being Clerk of the Year. She felt this information should be included in the Sterling Heights magazine so everyone is aware of this honor presented to the City’s Clerk. Mayor Taylor commented that there are three major events converging at the same time in a way he felt no one could have predicted, with the health crisis, the economic crisis, and the civil unrest. He is proud of the City’s response and looks forward to being part of the solution. He spoke on behalf of the entire City Administration and City Council that, for anyone who feels the City is not doing enough, the City would like to hear from them. He suggested they email, call, or reach out to the City and/or City Council members if they want their voices heard. He assured they are here to make this community better for everyone who lives here, with the main objective to improve the human experience. They strive to have a higher quality of life for all residents and will continue to do so, ready to do whatever they can. 11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. 12. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. 13. CLOSED SESSION PERMITTED UNDER ACT 267 OF 1976 Mr. Kaszubski stated there is no Closed Session this evening. 14. ADJOURN Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to adjourn the meeting. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Page 38 Yes: Koski, Radtke, Schmidt, Sierawski, Taylor, Yanez, Ziarko. No: None. Absent – None. The motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:16 p.m. MELANIE D. RYSKA, City Clerk